Fuse-box



(No Model.) 7.

. J. S. STROUSE.

' FUSE BOX.

No. 554,042. Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAY s. STROUSE, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

FUSE OX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,042, dated February 4, 1896.

Application filed. October 5, 1895.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAY S. STROUsE, of the city of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain Improvements in Fuse- Boxes for Electric ires, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in that class of apparatus which contain a fusible wire, which upon a dangerous increase in the electric current taking place from any source whatever 'is melted, the current broken, and the motor or lamp in the circuit cut out.

The said invention consists in novel means for holding the fusible wire in place, so that a new wire may be easily and readily substituted for a fused one, as will hereinafter fully appear.

In the further description of the said invention which follows, reference is madeto the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which Figure 1 is an exterior front View of a fuseboX embodying the present improvements. Fig. 2 is an edge view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an inside face view of the cap of the fuse-box with certain parts thereof broken away. Fig. 4 is a section of Fig. 3, taken on the dotted line a: 50.

Referring now to the drawings, A is the fuse-box proper, and B the cap therefor, both of which are constructed of some insulating material, preferably porcelain.

O and D are the conducting-wires secured in the box proper in the usual manner and electrically connected in the cap B by the fusible wires a, hereinafter more particularly referred to.

The wires 0 andD are attached to the box A by means of the ordinary blocks Z) and plates 0, and the fusible wires a connect the angular plates E, which are secured, as is common, in the cap B, and have their ends provided with hooks d, which are electrically connected to the block b and plate 0 by means of screws f.

F F are clamps consisting of pieces of some insulating material, preferably porcelain, sit- Serial No. 564,708. (No model.)

uated in the pockets 9 of the cap and of such length as to overlap the portions of the an gular plates E within the pockets.

The clamps F have each a stem 71, which passes loosely through a hole j in the front plate of the cap B. The two stems h are notched near their outer end, so as to receive the forked ends of a curved spring H, the center of which bears against the outer side of the cap.

The fusible wires Ct are laid on the portion of the stems h within the pockets with their ends resting against the angular hooked plates E and are held in place by the clamps F through the medium of the spring H. By this construction one spring serves to hold in place two fusible wires.

By pressing the thumb on the outer end of a stem its clamp F is pushed inward, and sufficient room is thereby given to insert a fusible wire, which is clamped upon the release of the stem.

It will be seen that the clamps F are cut away at 70, so as to expose the fusible wires behind them Vhile this is not an important feature of the invention, it allows the inspection of the wires without disturbing the clamps.

If desired, the stems It may be flattened where the fusible wires rest on them to give them a substantial seat and to prevent the tilting of the wires as they are placed in position and before the clamps F are released and allowed to bear upon them. This construction is shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

I make no claim to the construction of the box or cap or to the arrangement of the conducting-plates, as all such are. well known.

I claim as my invention- In a fuse-box having two fusible wires in electric circuits, a clamp for each wire, combined with a single spring to place a tension on both clamps, substantially as specified.

JAY S. STROUSE. \Vitnesses WM. T. HOWARD, DANL. FISHER. 

